Bailey Olympus 525
Image
Key Features
Model Year
2011
Product Class
Single Axle
Price from (£)
£15280
Berths
5
Full Review
BAILEY’S five-berth Pageant Provence, with its two lounging areas, was easily a best-seller over several years because of its appeal to families who appreciate the living space that this layout gives.
Now, its no more and the Olympus version of the same classic layout has Bailey’s wood-free Alu-Tech construction and its attendant 10-year guarantee. On the face of it, that brings quite a lot to the party.
How? Apart from the revolutionary construction method, it shaves 30kg off the weight of the Provence. The 525 is packed with features that make it truly sparkle.
The list begins outside, with grab handles that contain a row of LED lights. More LED lights run above the kitchen. More still define the front lounge, in the form of a row that runs underneath all six head-height lockers.
The result, combined with tasteful seating fabric, is a lounge that looks far above the 525’s price-tag. More sparkly lights run above the door, giving you good awning illumination.
The sparkle isn’t just about lighting. The kitchen surface in Olympus models gleams like glass. It’s a highly-polished brown rock-effect, every bit the look you’d expect in a house kitchen that would cost more than the 525’s £14,595 price-tag.
But families don’t just choose caravans because they look great – although the importance of visual appeal can’t be underestimated; after all, a caravan is your home from home. The two key factors about the double lounge/dining room are that they give you separate areas for different members of the family – and that, when you buy an Olympus, you buy a front lounge which converts between two options.
You get a central chest of drawers. And you also get a seat base and backrest to put in its place, creating a U-shaped lounge. So you can choose one layout for one holiday, another for a different holiday.
The 525’s kitchen is a real star performer. It has the same high-quality, big steel four-burner hob as in more expensive Bailey Pegasus models. And you have three work surface areas – a small one to the left of the sink, plus two larger ones, between sink and hob and to the right of the hob. Storage capacity is amazing.
A double-doored cupboard gives you three shelf areas and two wire baskets, plus a cutlery tray and more space beneath. Upper storage is fine, too, and there are three shelves, above the sink and alongside the microwave. This kitchen is well up to the task of catering for five.
The showering arrangements are pretty impressive. The little room has a separate, circular shower. Small things are important; there are two towel hooks as well as a loop. That’s places for two more towels than is the norm in caravans – although two more would have matched the towel count to the number of beds.
The more time you spend in a 525 the more of its finer points you’ll notice. We’re sitting back in the lounge and taking in a fabric, elasticated book holder on a wall, with two tiny hooks that add style although their practical purpose escaped us. We take in the pattern detail on the seat backs and decide we love the bright green bits which, together with terracotta, create something that’s delightfully different.
Far more important than unusual colour in fabric, though, are two items on the Olympus spec list. One is the ATC trailer stability system that detects sway and corrects it by application of the caravan brakes before the driver can even feel the sway starting.
The other is the AL-KO Secure wheel lock. With Olympus, you don’t just get the receiver and the option to buy the £200 lock, you get the lock as well. Little wonder the Olympus package is, we’re told, a success in terms of sales. At this money for this quality, the 525, as example of the range, is fantastic value.
Verdict:
Olympuses give you lots of features including the safety factor of ATC. The 525 also gives you a classic double living area layout that’s a proven hit with families. Fabulous kitchen, separate shower - and a 10-year guarantee. This is one great family caravan.
Now, its no more and the Olympus version of the same classic layout has Bailey’s wood-free Alu-Tech construction and its attendant 10-year guarantee. On the face of it, that brings quite a lot to the party.
How? Apart from the revolutionary construction method, it shaves 30kg off the weight of the Provence. The 525 is packed with features that make it truly sparkle.
The list begins outside, with grab handles that contain a row of LED lights. More LED lights run above the kitchen. More still define the front lounge, in the form of a row that runs underneath all six head-height lockers.
The result, combined with tasteful seating fabric, is a lounge that looks far above the 525’s price-tag. More sparkly lights run above the door, giving you good awning illumination.
The sparkle isn’t just about lighting. The kitchen surface in Olympus models gleams like glass. It’s a highly-polished brown rock-effect, every bit the look you’d expect in a house kitchen that would cost more than the 525’s £14,595 price-tag.
But families don’t just choose caravans because they look great – although the importance of visual appeal can’t be underestimated; after all, a caravan is your home from home. The two key factors about the double lounge/dining room are that they give you separate areas for different members of the family – and that, when you buy an Olympus, you buy a front lounge which converts between two options.
You get a central chest of drawers. And you also get a seat base and backrest to put in its place, creating a U-shaped lounge. So you can choose one layout for one holiday, another for a different holiday.
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The 525’s kitchen is a real star performer. It has the same high-quality, big steel four-burner hob as in more expensive Bailey Pegasus models. And you have three work surface areas – a small one to the left of the sink, plus two larger ones, between sink and hob and to the right of the hob. Storage capacity is amazing.
A double-doored cupboard gives you three shelf areas and two wire baskets, plus a cutlery tray and more space beneath. Upper storage is fine, too, and there are three shelves, above the sink and alongside the microwave. This kitchen is well up to the task of catering for five.
The showering arrangements are pretty impressive. The little room has a separate, circular shower. Small things are important; there are two towel hooks as well as a loop. That’s places for two more towels than is the norm in caravans – although two more would have matched the towel count to the number of beds.
The more time you spend in a 525 the more of its finer points you’ll notice. We’re sitting back in the lounge and taking in a fabric, elasticated book holder on a wall, with two tiny hooks that add style although their practical purpose escaped us. We take in the pattern detail on the seat backs and decide we love the bright green bits which, together with terracotta, create something that’s delightfully different.
Far more important than unusual colour in fabric, though, are two items on the Olympus spec list. One is the ATC trailer stability system that detects sway and corrects it by application of the caravan brakes before the driver can even feel the sway starting.
The other is the AL-KO Secure wheel lock. With Olympus, you don’t just get the receiver and the option to buy the £200 lock, you get the lock as well. Little wonder the Olympus package is, we’re told, a success in terms of sales. At this money for this quality, the 525, as example of the range, is fantastic value.
Verdict:
Olympuses give you lots of features including the safety factor of ATC. The 525 also gives you a classic double living area layout that’s a proven hit with families. Fabulous kitchen, separate shower - and a 10-year guarantee. This is one great family caravan.
